Transportation receptacles of this kind are, for example, containers which are utilized for air-freight purposes.
Cooled and, in particular, deep-frozen goods which are to be transported must be maintained at the necessary cooling temperature, also during protracted transportation times. For this reason, it is standard practice to add dry ice or the like to such goods during transportation, which ensures that the transported goods are maintained at the desired temperature, even during longer transportation and interim storage periods.
Although, in particular in sealed receptacles such as containers, dry ice can maintain the temperature which is desired there for very long periods, the dry ice is used up in the course of time. In so doing, it cannot be prevent that liquid substances, such as water, collect, be this as a result of the fact that the dry ice is being used up, or even as a result of a slight thawing of the frozen and, in particular, deep-frozen transported goods. In order to prevent the liquid water thus produced in the receptacle from adversely affecting the transported goods, it is known to arrange absorbent cloths in the bottom region of containers in which cooled, frozen and, in particular, deep-frozen goods are being transported, which cloths absorb and retain water resulting from the thawing of the dry ice and/or of the transported goods themselves. Although, in this manner, it is possible to absorb and retain the greater part of the accumulated water, it is, however, frequently not possible to prevent that liquid water remains behind, despite the insertion of absorbent drying cloth into the bottom region of a receptacle intended for refrigerated transportation, such as a container.
It was found that a not inconsiderable portion of the liquid water accumulating in a receptacle which is used for refrigerated transportation is condensation water which precipitates on the inside walls of the receptacle and drips down along the walls, i.e., therefore, it does not originate directly from the transported goods and the dry ice which is used as the cooling agent, but can be attributed to the natural atmospheric humidity.
As a result, the amount of water accumulating in a receptacle for refrigerated transportation during transportation and, in particular, during lengthy transportation, is relatively great, with the result that the water which is accumulated as a whole can be absorbed only inadequately by the inserted drying cloths. In this regard, it was found that the proportion of condensation water is frequently greater than the proportion of water resulting from thawing.